Supplemental Essays: Your Secret Weapon for College Admissions

Effective supplemental essays are essential for college applications, allowing applicants to express their unique fit for specific institutions. We dive into the common types of supplemental essays and strategies to approach them successfully.

• Importance of supplemental essays in the admissions process 
• Types of supplemental essays: community identity, academic passions 
• Tips for crafting compelling and authentic responses 

Reach out for personalized essay reviews and strategy sessions with East Coast Admissions. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Hello and welcome back to the East Coast College
Admissions Podcast.
I'm your host, cleopatra, hereto guide you through the
ever-evolving college admissionslandscape.
Today, we are tackling acritical part of the college
application process supplementalessays.
While your personal statementgives colleges a glimpse of who
you are, supplemental essayshelp colleges understand why you

(00:36):
belong at their institution.
If you're applying to EastCoast colleges, whether it's an
Ivy League, a liberal artscollege or a top research
university, chances are you'llhave multiple supplemental
essays to write.
But don't worry, I'm here tohelp you craft responses that
will make admissions officerstake notice.
So let's dive right in.

(00:56):
First things first.
Why do colleges ask forsupplemental essays in the first
place If they already have yourpersonal statement, transcripts

(01:20):
and extracurriculars, what moredo they need?
Trust me, I know I ask myselfthat every single day as well.
But what colleges are lookingfor is a deeper understanding of
your academic interests andpersonal values, evidence that
you've researched their uniqueprograms, culture and
opportunities, a sense of howyou contribute to their campus
community.
For example, a college likeColumbia, with this famous core

(01:41):
curriculum, wants to see how youengage with a structured
liberal arts education.
Meanwhile, a university likeNortheastern, known for its core
programs may want to understandyour career aspirations.
The key point here is think ofsupplemental essays as your
chance to say here's why I'm notjust applying, I'm meant to be

(02:02):
at this college.
So let's look at common typesof supplemental essays and how
to tackle them.
Most East Coast colleges willask for one or more of these
three types of supplementalessays that I'm about to get
into.
Let me break them down anddiscuss strategies for each
Supplemental Essay.
1, the widest college essay.

(02:23):
What is that?
Colleges want to know why youare drawn to their institution
specifically.
How do you answer such aquestion effectively?
Be specific Mention professors,courses, research opportunities
or campus traditions.
Avoid generic statements like Ilove this campus or it has a

(02:44):
great reputation.
Trust me, they know that you donot need to remind them.
Show them how you contribute tocampus life, for example,
instead of saying I want toattend NYU because of its great
location.
Right, nyu's business andpolitical economic program
excites me because it blendsglobal perspectives with real

(03:05):
world experiences, aligningperfectly with my goal of
working in international policy.
You see how that sounded.
The key point here is collegeswant to feel chosen, so make it
clear why they're the perfectfit for you.
Supplemental essay type two thecommunity and identity essay.

(03:27):
What is that?
Colleges want to understand howyour background, values or
experiences have shaped you.
So how do you answer such aquestion perfectly?
Share a specific moment orstory that highlights your
identity.
Connect your experiences towhat you hope to bring to the
campus.
For example, a student applyingto Brown might write about the

(03:51):
experience leading a culturalawareness campaign in their high
school and how they hope tocontinue their advocacy by
joining the Brown Center forStudents of Color.
The key point here isauthenticity is key here.
Don't write about what youthink admissions officers want
to hear.
Write what is true to you.

(04:13):
Last but not the least,supplemental essay type three
the intellectual curiosity essay.
What is that?
Colleges like Yale, princetonand Amherst often ask about your
intellectual interest and howyou pursue learning.
So how do you answer thateffectively?
Choose a genuine academicpassion, not just what you think

(04:36):
sounds impressive.
You need to show curiosity.
Connect your interest toreal-world applications.
For example, a studentfascinated by environmental
science could write aboutresearching local water
pollution and how they hope toexpand this work at Duke's
Nicola School of Environment.

(04:57):
The key point here is Collegesjust don't want students who get
good grades.
They want students who lovelearning.
So now let me go into tips formaking your essays stand out.
Now that I've covered the mostcommon types of essays, let's
talk about how to make yourstruly stand out.
Point number one show, don'ttell.

(05:20):
Use specific anecdotes insteadof vague statements.
Instead of I love helpingpeople, try volunteering at a
refugee center.
This summer, I translated jobapplications for families,
realizing that advocacy startswith small actions.
Point number two avoid overusedcliches.
Don't say I wanted to go toHarvard since I was five.

(05:43):
Trust me, they've heard that amillion and a billion times
already.
Instead, discuss what excitesyou right now about their
programs.
Point number three stay true toyour voice.
Write how you speak.
Admissions officers want tohear you, not a perfect, robotic
version of you.

(06:04):
Last but not the least, pointnumber four feel free and get
feedback.
Have a teacher, a mentor orfamily member review your essays
for clarity and grammar.
The key point here is awell-written essay won't just
impress admissions officers, itwill make them remember you.

(06:25):
So what are my final thoughtson this topic?
Supplemental essays are yourchoice to go beyond grades and
test scores.
They are where you get toshowcase who you are as a person
.
So, as you write, keep thesethree things in mind.
Number one be specific Showthat you've done your research.
Number two be authentic Shareyour unique story.

(06:48):
Number three be thoughtfulConnect your experiences to what
you contribute on campus.
If you need expert guidance oncrafting the perfect
supplemental essays, east CoastAdmissions is here to help.
Reach out for personalizedessay reviews and strategy
sessions.
Thanks for tuning in to theEast Coast College Admissions

(07:09):
podcast.
Please be sure to subscribe andleave a review.
Do you have a topic or have aquestion you would love for us
to cover?
Reach out at admissions ateastcoastadmissionscom or visit
our website atwwwiscosadmissionscom.
Until next time, happy writing.